Michael Clarke racked up another double century and Ed Cowan scored his maiden Test ton as Australia turned the tables on South Africa, reaching 4 for 487 at stumps in reply to the Proteas' 450 on day four of the first Test at the Gabba.

7:00pm: Quentin also caught up with South African bowling coach Allan Donald, who reckons his team "started a little bit slowly before getting into it". He also admitted it was one of the Proteas' "toughest days for a long time".

"Michael Clarke, we could have had him maybe once or twice early. But he gutsed it out, today was his day. He played exceptionally well."

6:45pm: Grandstand's Quentin Hull caught up with centurion Ed Cowan at stumps. Cowan says it was "a great moving day for the Australian cricket team". He also spoke about the emotions of making his mark a year to the day that his friend, former ABC commentator Peter Roebuck, passed away. "I shed a tear on the morning walk because

"I shed a tear on a morning walk because I well and truly knew that it was a year to the day. That's why when I scored the hundred I looked to the heavens. It was a nice moment."

Michael Clarke, Ed Cowan and Mike Hussey combined to bring about a dramatic reversal of fortunes for Australia as they punished a tiring South African pace attack on day four of the first Test at the Gabba.

Struggling at 3 for 40 on day three, Australia rode on the back of a stunning double century partnership from skipper Clarke (218 not out) and opener Cowan (136), who scored his maiden Test ton.

Hussey chimed in with an unbeaten 86, putting on another 188 with his captain to guide the home team to a 37-run lead at stumps.

Clarke's golden 12 months continued as he reached 1,000 Test runs for the period at an average of 111.

He now sits alongside Sir Donald Bradman as the only Australians to score more than 200 three times in a calendar year.

Clarke's unbeaten 218 at the ground has been bettered only by England opener Alastair Cook (235 not out) and Bradman (226) in history.

The Proteas were largely toothless save for the occasional unplayable delivery from Morne Morkel, with the world's number one bowling attack unable to take a wicket all day while conceding a mammoth 376 runs.

Cowan's dismissal, with Dale Steyn getting his hand to a Clarke drive to catch the opener short of his ground at the non-striker's end, was as good as it got for the visitors.

Their rhythm has been off to the point where they have conceded 34 extras, including a ridiculous 22 no-balls.

Top-ranked paceman Steyn (1 for 109) was treated with disdain at times by Clarke and co while Vernon Philander (0 for 82) came to Australia with a big reputation but has been negated thus far.

First Test: Stumps, day four

Australia 4-487 (121 overs)

M. Clarke 218*

E. Cowan 136

M. Hussey 86*

M. Morkel 2-109 (26 overs)

D. Steyn 1-109 (27 overs)

V. Philander 0-82 (25 overs)

South Africa 9-450 (151.4 overs)

J. Kallis 147

H. Amla 104

J. Pattinson 3-93 (34 overs)

B. Hilfenhaus 2-73 (32.4 overs)

6:32pm: That's stumps with Australia reaching 4/487, a lead of 37 runs. Clarke walks from the ground to a standing ovation, unbeaten on a superb 218. Hussey leaves the arena on 86, edging ever closer to another Test century. They've put on 188 for the fifth wicket. Ed Cowan made 136 earlier in a 259-run stand with Clarke. South Africa's bowlers went the entire day without taking a wicket. And the records continue to fall:

@RicFinlay: Record partnership by allcomers for the 5th wkt at the Gabba - 188* - beats Lawry and Walters 187 ('65-66) - off the last ball of the day!

6:30pm: Drew Morphett has just informed us that Clarke is the second Australian batsman since Sir Don Bradman in the 1930s to rack up three double centuries in a calendar year. And like Bradman, one of those was turned into a triple. "So Clarke is now Bradmanesque".

6:28pm: Clarke reaches the 1,000-run mark for the calendar year at an average of over 111. Amla is second on the list with 791 runs.

6:20pm: "Let's just enjoy these bowling figures, roll them out!" says Mr O'Keeffe. Righto. Morkel 2/109, Steyn 1/97, Philander 0/87, Kleinveldt 0/81. "Two overs of throwdowns" from Amla, Kerry adds. South Africa's only got 10 players without the injured JP Duminy. Eight of them have bowled. Jacques Rudolph and AB de Villiers must be feeling a tad left out?

6:12pm: Double-century to Clarke! The Australian captain's golden run rolls on - that's a triple century and two double centuries in the past two summers. Kerry's pondering where Clarke currently sits in the ICC batting rankings. Sixth apparently. Not for long.

5:58pm: Memorable over from Morkel - four deliveries beat the bat and the other two are clobbered to the boundary. Hussey motoring towards his 17th Test hundred at a hectic rate now.

5:53pm: Philander came Down Under with a big reputation but has been rendered impotent thus far. Clarke capitalises on a poor first delivery and also glides the fourth to the rope to move into the 190s.

5:50pm: "Australia scoring at will, it's all just happening way too easily," says Geoff Lawson. Yup - four more added to Morkel's bowling figures off the blade of Hussey.

5:42pm: Clarke punishes Morkel with two straight boundaries to rocket to 177. It's a batting clinic and there's just no answer from the visitors on a pitch which isn't offering a whole lot.

5:39pm: Amla's even going to have a trundle now.His first over goes for three runs, not bad given the recent trend.

5:30pm: That's another Test half-century for Mike Hussey. His 29th overall. Clarke then dispatches Kallis to the boundary to bring up the 100-run partnership off just 133 balls and push Australia past the 400 mark. Easy going now for this pair.

50 for Hussey

6 x 4s 0 x 6s

68 balls

SR: 73.52

5:29pm: "There's still 18 overs left today, so they should, with the way they're going, be ahead at stumps," says Jim Maxwell. My how the tables have turned since yesterday's top-order capitulation.

5:25pm: Clarke's Test average has gone back above 50 with this knock. As mentioned earlier, he's averaging over 60 since taking over as skipper from Ricky Ponting. Hussey meanwhile is edging ever closer to another Test 50.

5:08pm: Clarke's going on with his 20th Test ton - 150 now as he steers Jacques Kallis away for two. 70 balls between 200 and 250 so he's going at a fair clip. Wonder what sort of target the skipper has in mind?

4:52pm: Shot! Clarke treats Steyn with disdain there. The world's number one bowler pitches one way too short outside off and the batsman bludgeons it baseball-style to the boundary. The Aussie skipper is well and truly at the peak of his powers now.

4:43pm: Mike Hussey has picked up where his departed team-mate left off. He pastes Dale Steyn for his sixth boundary to move to 32 and bring up the 50-run partnership with Clarke. Inside 10 overs too - that's brisk going. Australia exactly 100 runs behind now at 4 for 350 after 95 overs. The Proteas were 3/290 at the same point in their innings.

4:35pm: Morkel bowls a no ball which replays indicate Clarke got an inside edge to. Another costly overstep by the Proteas paceman.

4:07pm: We're a few balls into the third session and South Africa's gone to the video on a caught behind appeal on Michael Clarke. Replays don't show any nick and the captain's bumper knock will roll on. One appeal left for the Proteas.

4:00pm: M Clarke's taken to this captaincy thing like a duck to water:

3:50pm: Some light reading during the tea interval - Peter Newlinds has penned this piece on Ed Cowan.

First Test: Tea, day four

Australia 4-306 (87 overs)

E. Cowan 136

M. Clarke 126*

M. Morkel 2-54 (19 overs)

D. Steyn 1-79 (21 overs)

South Africa 9-450 (151.4 overs)

J. Kallis 147

H. Amla 104

J. Pattinson 3-93 (34 overs)

B. Hilfenhaus 2-73 (32.4 overs)

3:43pm: That's tea with Australia 4/306. South Africa's taken one wicket all day and what a fortuitous one it was.

3:32pm: OUT! Oh dear, what a terrible way to go. Michael Clarke drives straight down the ground, Dale Steyn gets a fingertip to it and Ed Cowan is caught short at the non striker's end. A run-out has been the only way South Africa has been looking like getting a wicket today to be honest. Unfortunate finish to a magnificent innings. That ends a magnificent 259-run union with Clarke.

Wicket

3:15pm: I'm losing count of the records that are falling in Cowan and Clarke's wake. Here's another:

@RicFinlay: Record 4th wkt stand at the Gabba by any pair from anywhere. Prev MHussey and MClarke 245. #AusvSA

3:10pm: We're 80 overs in so the new ball's due. Not surprisingly Graeme Smith has thrown it to Dale Steyn (1 for 60) straight away. Let's see if he can make a breakthrough for the visitors.

3:08pm: Quentin Hull has taken advantage of a little lull in proceedings to have a word with Ed Cowan's animated dad Richie. You can hear their chat here. We were discussing just yesterday in the office whether Ed's an 'Edward'. Apparently he is. #youllsleepbettertonightnow

2:53pm: Ouch. Cowan's been dropped on 123 by Dale Steyn in the deep. It appears he was put off by the presence of Jacques Rudolph in the background. Rory Kleinveldt's the unlucky bowler on this occasion.

2:42pm: Century for Michael Clarke! That's his 20th and what a commanding innings it has been. Rarely a foot put wrong by the Aussie skipper. Six tons in 16 Tests as captain - a fine record. Australia 3/264 at drinks.

2:27pm: Michael Clarke has moved to 98 and Ed Cowan 113 with Australia on 3 for 252. They've gone past the follow-on target. Bookies have the draw as short as $1.03 now with South Africa blowing out in the victory stakes, joining Australia on $21.

2:07pm: That's the 200-run stand between these two, off 353 balls. Little fanfare though as they look to push on towards the Proteas' 450. Ed Cowan is the 126th Australian batsman to make a Test century by the way, according to our stats man Ric Finlay. "302 others have tried and failed."

2:05pm: While we've been focusing on Ed Cowan it's almost easy to overlook the fact that Michael Clarke has quietly slipped into the 90s. He's eyeing his 20th Test ton in what has been a bumper last 12 months.

1:48pm: Century to Ed Cowan! The opener pulls Philander to the boundary in the second over of the session and isn't he happy about it! Takes off the helmet and raises his bat before getting a big hug and a pat on the head from his skipper. Just reward for a patient, well-compiled Test innings.

100 for Cowan

14 x 4s 0 x 6s

185 balls

SR: 55.13

@QuentinHull: Brilliant maiden ton for Ed Cowan & poignant it comes a yr to the day after the death of his former coach & friend Peter Roebuck #abccricket

1:41pm: Welcome back for the second session and it's Morne Morkel bowling to Michael Clarke, who resumes on 78. Ed Cowan is two away from his maiden Test ton. This pair continues to break records:

@RicFinlay: At lunch, Cowan/Clarke p'ship 174 largest stand for 4th wkt by Aus v RSA at any ground in Aus #AusvSA

First Test: Lunch, day four

First session highlights:

Australia 3-214 (60 overs)

E. Cowan 98*

M. Clarke 78*

M. Morkel 2-38 (13 overs)

D. Steyn 1-52 (15 overs)

South Africa 9-450 (151.4 overs)

J. Kallis 147

H. Amla 104

J. Pattinson 3-93 (34 overs)

B. Hilfenhaus 2-73 (32.4 overs)

1:03pm: Eddie remains steady and is happy to wait till after lunch. Australia goes to the break on 3 for 214, having added 103 runs this morning without losing a wicket. Cowan is on 98 and Clarke 78. Their partnership is worth 174. Still another 37 runs needed to avoid the follow-on.

12:59pm: This'll be the last over before lunch and Ed Cowan sits on 98 as he eyes a first Test century.

12:51pm: Do you agree with Kerry that Michael Clarke should declare early? Here's some of your responses.

@FridgeMurphy: South Africa should have made the call earlier yesterday, wasted time at the end

@eugenefastcar: I love the idea of a chase on the last day @kokeeffe49 . Do we a a captain brave enough to make that call?

@SimmsyDos: I agree with @kokeeffe49 that #auscricket should declare to make it exciting. 5 days of playing for draw? Why bother playing?

12:36pm: That's the 150-run stand for this pair inside 45 overs as Graeme Smith's off spin continues to operate in tandem with Dale Steyn's express pace. Steyn has beaten the bat a couple of times this spell but largely Australia remains firmly in control.

12:32pm:Kerry O'Keeffe reckons Michael Clarke should declare early and make Graeme Smith set a target on the final day. Let us know your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook.

"Test cricket's dying, it's a three-Test series, somebody has to get an initiative. Are you prepared to risk losing this first Test by giving us something to chase?"

12:21pm: Dale Steyn's now back into the attack, replacing Kallis. Steyn only bowled a short four-over spell earlier. We could be about to see some fireworks. Yep - the final ball of the over rears viciously up at Clarke who can only fend it off and it drops dangerously close to Steyn in his follow-through.

12:19pm: The skipper brings himself on now to bowl some off spin. Desperate times for the Proteas already? He hasn't turned his arm over in the Test arena since 2007 apparently. Stay tuned.

12:13pm: Ed Cowan sneaks past his highest Test score of 74 by pinching a couple off Kallis. Well played son. The punters are warming to him aswell.

11:45am: Jacques Kallis replaces Morkel to bowl the last over before drinks. Cowan and Clarke's partnership has reached 116 now.

11:35am: Just a little while ago Quentin Hull headed down to the stands and spent a few minutes catching up with Ed Cowan's wife Virginia Lette and their new baby daughter Romy - listen here.

11:22am: Rory Kleinveldt replaces Philander and he'd want to make a stark improvement on his ordinary spell last night. Clarke hits two off him to reach his 23rd Test half-century. Timely captain's knock.

50 for Clarke

7 x 4s 0 x 6s

91 balls

SR: 54.94

11:12am: Clarke takes two off Philander and that's the century stand for these two. Off just 154 balls too, that's nice going.

11:08am: Morne Morkel replaces Daly Steyn and immediately troubles Ed Cowan with a pearler of a delivery which nips away off the seam and beats the bat. Cowan's response is a fine off-drive with more placement than power which finds its way to the rope.

11:00am: A little while ago the team asked what it would take to get more people to come to the cricket on weekdays. Here's some of your responses...

@beeso: daynight tests

@27Frendy: public holidays all test match haha

@RyanBuckland7: Lower the price; paying $70 for standard ticket on a work day. Test cricket is the premium, but its alot to pay

@thedavemeister: sell the beer for half price. $7.10 for a plastic cup of XXXX gold is absolutely ridiculous!

@SimonWallace88: Free and fast wi-fi access at grounds

@al_ryan78: Write sick letters to our bosses.

@joeshughes: the more activities they have with kids involved, more parents and grandparents will come too

@mambossah: general downturn of economy affecting all sporting crowd numbers. 1/2 price tickets for days 4&5

10:50am: So we've had five overs this morning for the addition of 17 runs. Cowan and Clarke are approaching a century partnership. Wondering what the most successful ones are over the past couple of years?

10:30am: Dale Steyn gets the day's proceedings underway and it doesn't take long for Ed Cowan to reach his fourth Test half-century off 77 balls with eight fours. Very important innings by the Tasmanian left-hander given his team had slumped to a perilous 3 for 40 yesterday. Michael Clarke then drives the bowler straight down the ground as five runs are taken from the first over of the day.

50 for Cowan

8 x 4s 0 x 6s

77 balls

SR: 64.93

10:25am: Grandstand's Quentin Hull caught up with Australian wicketkeeper Matthew Wade prior to play. He said it looks like a good day to bat with the pitch slowing up and a couple of cracks starting to appear:

10:20am: It's currently cloudy with a few drops of rain around in Brisbane but the BOM forecast is for a fine, sunny day with a top of 27 degrees so fingers crossed. The radar is presently showing a smattering of rain to the south but there doesn't appear to be anything to be too concerned about. There certainly shouldn't be any repeats of Saturday.

@QuentinHull: Beautiful scene looking out from the commentary box at the Gabba ahead of day 4 #abccricket pic.twitter.com/FbN4TUqR